May 2013

05/21/2013

I've a plan to walk with small kids on this Saturday.The hiking route is about 3km(one-way) from Mitakesan ropeway terminal to Mt.Hinode. The mountain path has a little up/down hill but smooth for walk. I guess it needs about 1.5hour walk for small kids. If we take a lunch at the summit of the Hinode mountain, the time table of my recommendation will be the next lines.

We'll arrive at Mitake Station by Rapid Train from Shinjiku Station at 9:00am.The bus to the Cablecar station will come at 9:05 or at 9:40.It takes about 10minutes by bus to the terminal station of the cablecar.

The timetable of the cablecar is 9:15,9:30,9:45,10:00, ....The departure time is every 15minutes on this timezone.

And after 2 to 3 minutes, we can arrive at the observation station near the top of Mt.Mitake.So, we'll arrive about 10:00 at the starting point of the trek.

After that, we'll walk toward the summit of Mt.Hinodeyama.I guess it takes about 1hour and 30minutes walk by kids, so we'll arrive at the destination about 11:30am. We'll take a lunch at the top of Mt.Hinode.We'll back to walk to the cablecar station after some brakes.

If the kids still have a power of walking, we'll stop off somewhere on the way to the cablecar station. Somewhere we visit is ... for example, a waterfall or Mitake Shrine.

05/20/2013

I climbed up Mt.Mitsutoge last Saturday.This picture is the shot from the summit of the mountain!

It was a beautiful day in May, but the weather of May sometimes changes easily. I was lucky I could see a beautiful Mt.Fujji.

Map: Japan RoadNavi 25000 v2 by UUD Co.,Ltd.GPS: Garmin eTrex30

My ImpressionThe access to the entrance point of Mitsutoge mountain by the usage of the public trains is not so convenient without express trains. It was because the train that I used in this time was almost local train but had no rapid service train. So it takes long time by using train.In addition, on the Fujuikyuko Line, their railway ticket systems have still not changed to digital ticket system. I could not use Suica card despite the same JR train was connected through service with Fujikuko Line. If you keep ride onto the same train at Otsuki station, at the Mitsutoge station, then you have to prepare of your ticket fee checkout.

I checked the trek time on this route will be 7hours from the internet. So, I made a plan on this information. But it was not so difficult mountain trail, so it took about 5hours by my foot. Without a rope way, I arrived at Kawaguchiko Station about 14:20pm.The direction board to the destination "Mitsutoge(三つ峠)" was clear but wrote in Japanese.I guess that the mountain road was a good condition to walk. I think the path had a few number of plasticated steps from Mitsutoge Station to Tenjosan Park Kachikachi-yama Ropeway terminal station. The mountain path from Mitsutoge mountain to Tenjosan Park Kachikachi-yama Ropeway terminal station was basically smooth downhill ridge path, so I felt it was very easy to walk, and walked very fast. On this downhill, I felt little shock to my knee.

InformationThe toilet at the Mitsutoge Station is the end of platform near the ticket gate.Near the top of Mt.Mitsutoge, I found many good rest spots to take a lunch against a background of Mt.Fuji.

11:52 Arrived at the summit of Mt.Mitsutoge I took a short break to take a lunch near the summit of the mountain.

12:09 Mt.Kinashiyama13:11 At Mt.Shimoyama13:52 At Mitsutoge Station to Tenjosan Park Kachikachi-yama Ropeway terminal station

14:20 At Kawaguchiko Station

Key NotesLocation; It's about 20km North of Mt.FujiDate walked; May 18 (Sat.), 2013 (fine weather)Map; I took an useful information from the next URL.http://www.kachikachiyamaropeway.com/contents/mitsutoge/course1.phpGPS and Map; Garmin GPS(eTrex 30) + Japan RoadNavi 25000 v2 produced by UUD Co.,Ltd.Walk type; Mountain walkDistance; about 16.4 kmTime required; about 5 hours [with short time lunch break]

05/17/2013

I've decided to hike Mt.Mitsutoge at 18th May (tomorrow). Mt.Mitsutoge is located about 20km North of Mt.Fuji. I'll access to the entrance of the mountain by railway of JR and FujiKyuko. The hiking route is the next picture. I'll start from Mitsutoge Station and walk to the direction of North West.

The material said that walk on the route takes about 6 to 7 hours for good walkers.I guess that it can be done by one day hiking from my residence. The D-day will be decided by my schedule and the weather during May.

05/06/2013

I walked from Naguri Lake -> Shirayasawa mountain stream -> Mt.Bonoore -> Mt.Iwatakeishi -> JR Sawai Station.It was about 15km and took about 5hours.← A panoramic view from Mt.Bonoore.

Pictures that I took on the day!

← A panoramic view from Mt.Iwatakeishi.

My ImpressionI felt a beautiful impression on the top of each mountains and Shirayasawa mountain streams. On the top of Mt.Bonoore, there were about 100 hikers! There are many access route to Mt.Bonoore. I walked along the Shirayasawa mountain stream from the West end of Naguri Lake that is the start of the trail up to Mt.Bonoore.I saw many hikers walking along the same path(Lake->Mt.Bonoore->Mt.Iwatakeishi) with me. I saw the many hikers walked along the Shirayasawa mountain stream, I guess they came by car and parked it on the lake road side. But, I saw so many hikers on the top of Mt.Bonoore, so I guess many hikers were climb up from a station of JR Okutama Line.

The access way to the Sawarabino-yuYou can make use of a bus access to the Sawarabino-yu from Higashi Hanno Station.The Bus stop at the station is beside the west side exit and facing to a convenience store on the road. I took a bus that starts at 9:20am. The time table of the bus is different on weekdays or holidays.The day I walked was holiday. You should confirm the bus time table, because it's different to weekdays and holidays. Please look at the next URL of Kokusaikogyo Bus.The distance from Higashi Hanno to Sawarabinoyu is about 17.8km. It takes about 45 minutes to Sawarabi-no-yu from the station.http://kokusaikogyo.ekiworld.net/dia/timechart/jikoku517301.htmlI took access to Higasi Hanno by JR Hachiko Line. Bus starts from Hanno Station of Seibu Ikebukuro Line, so if you access from Ikebukuro side, it's convenient for you to ride on the bus at Hanno Station.

My recommendation access to Mt.BonooreWhen you are planning to walk along the Bonoore mountain from North to the South, so my recommendation is ...At first, walk up from Shirayasawa mountain stream to Mt.Bonoore.Then, you walk down to Mt.Iwatakeishi and go to the Mitake Station.I think this is the popular access route to MtBonoore, so I guess it's few chance losing your mountain path. From Mt.Iwatakeishi to the JR station, the recommended route is to go to the Mitake Station. Many hikers are walking on this route on holidays or weekends.So, I think this is the best way!The mountain path that I walked from Mt.Iwatakeishi to Sawai station was a rough mountain road and I met few hikers. The other mountain path and the direction board was good for the hikers.

Time Schedule 9:20 The bus departed from Higashi Hanno Station.10:09 Bus Stop of "Kawamata Naguriko Iriguchi" I walked to the next bus stop.10:11 "Sawarabino-yu" bus stop It has a lavatory near the bus stop.10:43 Start of a trail up Mt.Bonoore (West side of the Lake)11:36 I arrived a rest station I searched the other mountain path to Mt.Bonoore, but could not found it.11:17 Start to walk up to Mt.Bonoore.12:02 A top of Mt.Bonoore I took a short time rest(lunch time).12:07 Start to walk to the next destinations.12:28 Mt.Kuroyama13:29 Mt.Iwatakeishi(14:00) I walked path along Mt.Sogakuzan14:44 Arrived at JR Sawai Station